Barberry plant named ‘O&#39;Byrne’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Barberry plant named ‘O&#39;Byrne’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; leaves that are dark red to orange red in color with narrow bright yellow green-colored margins; good garden performance; and resistance to Wheat Rust.

Botanical designation: Berberis thunbergii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘O'BYRNE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Barberryplant, botanically known as Berberis thunbergii and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘O'Byrne’.

The new Barberry plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Eugene, Oreg. The new Barberry plantoriginated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor during thespring of 2003 of Barberry thunbergii ‘Aurea’, not patented, as thefemale, or seed parent and Barberry thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Barberry plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor during the spring of 2004 as asingle plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination ina controlled environment in Eugene, Oreg.

Asexual reproduction of the new Barberry plant by softwood cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Eugene, Oreg. since July, 2004 hasshown that the unique features of this new Barberry plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Barberry have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘O'Byrne’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘O'Byrne’ as a new and distinct Barberry plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly arching and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Leaves that are dark red to orange red in color with narrow        bright yellow green-colored margins.    -   5. Good garden performance.    -   6. Resistance to Wheat Rust.

Plants of the new Barberry can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Aurea’. Plants of the new Barberry differ primarily from plantsof ‘Aurea’ in leaf color as leaves of plants of ‘Aurea’ are yellow greenin color and do not have bright green-colored margins. In addition,plants of the new Barberry are more high light tolerant than plants of‘Aurea’.

Plants of the new Barberry can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Rose Glow’. Plants of the new Barberry differ primarily from plants of‘Rose Glow’ in leaf color as leaves of plants of ‘Rose Glow’ are pinkand burgundy in color without bright green-colored margins.

Plants of the new Barberry can be compared to plants of the Berberisthunbergii ‘Celeste’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,586. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of thenew Barberry differed primarily from plants of ‘Celeste’ in leaf coloras leaves of plants of ‘Celeste’ were dark greyed purple to dark greyedorange in color without bright green-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Barberry plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Barberry plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘O'Byrne’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘O'Byrne’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in anoutdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices whichclosely approximate commercial Barberry production. Plants used for thephotographs and description were six years old. In the followingdetailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Berberis thunbergii ‘O'Byrne’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Barberry thunbergii ‘Aurea’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Barberry thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one month at            temperatures about 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight            months at temperatures about 24°.        -   Root description.—Fine to thick; somewhat fleshy and            fibrous; brown and yellow in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;            upright, outwardly arching and mounding plant habit;            vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with about 115            lateral branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 68 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 72 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 32 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.        -   Aspect.—Erect to outwardly arching.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 183A and 166A.        -   Thorns.—Quantity: One thorn developing at each node. Length:            About 6 mm. Width at the base: About 2.5 mm. Color: Close to            34A, 53A or 138B depending on light level. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or whorled; simple.        -   Length.—About 2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Mucronate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; flat;            somewhat glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 53B; under            high light conditions, closer to 35A. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 53A; under high light conditions,            closer to 34A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to 53A; under high light conditions, closer to 34A; narrow            margins, close to 154B; under low light conditions, closer            to 138B; venation, close to 53A or 34A depending on light            level. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 53A;            under high light conditions, closer to 34A; under low light            conditions, closer to 138B; venation, close to 53A or 34A            depending on light level.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 53A or 34A depending on light            level.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Flowers arranged in terminal            and axillary racemes; flowers face outwardly to drooping;            freely flowering habit with about four to eight flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Barberry flower            during April and May in Michigan.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to four weeks on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 5 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four to six petals in a single whorl.            Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape: Elliptic to            obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 4B. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 4B; color becoming closer to 4C            with development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Four to six sepals in a single whorl.            Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical to            obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate to obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous.            Color: When developing, upper surface: Close to 4C. When            developing, lower surface: Close to 4C flushed with close to            179B. Fully developed, upper surface: Close to 4C. Fully            developed, lower surface: Close to 4C flushed with close to            179B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 30° from lateral branch axis. Strength: Strong; wiry,            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 30° to 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong; wiry,            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four per flower.            Anther shape: Two-lobed. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 4C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 2 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:            Close to 144A. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color:            Close to 144A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development            have not been observed on plants of the new Barberry.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Barberry have been observed to    have excellent garden performance and to tolerate high light, rain,    wind and temperatures ranging from about −30° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Barberry have been    observed to be resistant to Wheat Rust (Puccinia sp.). Plants of the    new Barberry have not been shown to be resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Barberry plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Barberry plant named ‘O'Byrne’ asillustrated and described.